How to save his life
by joeperrysbabe
Summary: The Avengers have won the battle against Loki and his army, and while the rest of them celebrate, Thor is left having to pick up the pieces of his shattered relationship with his brother. This story is a oneshot of Thor's emotional struggle and how he is now torn between his duty and his love for his brother, even after all he's done. A/N: This is my very first fanfic. :


How to Save his Life

_The Avengers have won the battle against Loki and his army, and while the rest of them celebrate, Thor is left having to pick up the pieces of his shattered relationship with his brother. This story is a oneshot of Thor's emotional struggle and how he is now torn between his duty and his love for his brother, even after all he's done. _

Thor couldn't sleep that night. How could he? He tried, he really did, but the tossing and turning was too much for him to bear. With a loud grunt, he tossed the covers off of him and got up. He couldn't think, his mind was a tailspin over the previous day's events. He walked over to the window of his room at Stark Tower where the Man of Iron had offered him to stay until he would return to Asgard. Manhattan was still quite in a state of shock over what had transpired with Loki and the Chitauri Army. It had been a long and excruciating battle, and Thor had wondered a few times if Loki would actually get the better of him this time. But in the end, his teammates had proven triumphant and the true heroes had won, but to Thor, at what cost?

_Loki. _Thor still couldn't get over how shocked he had been when he received word that Loki had, in fact, been alive. Sure, he was alarmed to also learn that he had stolen the Tesseract and was plotting to take over Midgard, but the only thing he understood at that point was that his brother was not dead after all. He will never forget the endless nights of hearing his mother cry for her son, her precious Loki, for hours on end, and the grief and regret in his father's eyes whenever Loki's name was spoken. After what had happened in Asgard, it's people had called for Loki's head on a platter once they had learned the news, and that weighed on his family hard. Odin knew that once Loki was taken into their custody, he would have to punish him to the fullest of their laws and Thor couldn't bear to think of what they might have to do to him.

Immediately upon hearing that Loki had been captured in Germany by SHIELD, Thor made the speedy journey to Midgard and captured his brother from the plane he was in. It had all been a blur at that point. Both brothers had landed hard on Earth and Thor had been silently stunned over his brother's much darker appearance. He looked ill, but his eyes were stone cold and the man that stood in front of Thor no longer looked like the brother he once knew. He saw the evil glint in his eyes, the mischievous smile, a smile used in rather small pranks in the old days, but now a smile that is behind it much more sinister, and words of lies and hatred spewing from his thin, crooked lips.

Thor's thoughts were interrupted by the loud jackhammers that were going off as cleanup crews and rescue workers were hard at work in the city. Bruce, Steve, Clint, and Natasha were helping and Stark was in his tower trying to survey the damage on the inside. Loki was being kept in a holding room located near the bottom of the tower. He was chained up, with special chains to keep him from using his powers and his mouth was bound with a muzzle device to keep him from talking. Being the God of Lies, he always had a manipulative tongue and often used it to get his way.

While relieved that Loki's schemes were once again stopped, seeing his brother's defeated state and knowing that he would now have to see him punished was way too much for even the almighty God of Thunder to bear. Midgardians often referred these episodes as 'emotional meltdowns,' (according to Bruce) but the bare truth was Thor was heartbroken. Once Loki was escorted by Stark and Barton, who made it no secret that he would do just about anything to get just five minutes alone with the God, into the holding room, Thor let out a ferocious yell that was no doubt heard straight across the Atlantic Ocean. He swung his Mjollnir at anything that was in his way and was so out of control that Bruce had access the Other Guy to subdue him while Steve and Natasha talked some sense into him. Then Thor did something that he had never done in front of anyone, much less his comrades, he broke down and cried. Steve and Natasha was dumbfounded, and even the Hulk was tilting his head at the whole scene, unsure of what to do. Finally, Steve let out a breath and went and sat next to his new friend, cautiously patting his back as Thor continued to sob. Natasha followed suit shortly after. After a while, Thor calmed down enough to let Bruce turn back into his normal self, and to apologize to Tony for the damages he caused in his meltdown. He thanked the others and Tony offered Thor one of the rooms that weren't affected by Loki's attack to rest. Normally, Thor would decline the offer, feeling he would be much more needed elsewhere, but he did feel incredibly drained, so he accepted politely.

Letting out a breath and running a hand through his long blond hair, he turned away from the window and went to retrieve his armor. Since he couldn't sleep, he felt he shouldn't just be sitting around when his friends could be needing his help. When he had his armor back on, he grabbed his Mjollnir and walked out of the room, where he headed into Tony's living room, met by the air that was hitting him from what was left of his shattered glass window. Thor stood staring at it when he heard Tony's voice behind him.

"You know, it's not everyone that can say they've been thrown right out a window of that size and managed to live to talk about it."

Thor half-turned and when he saw Tony come up beside him, he nodded at the smaller man.

"Yes, I think you are right, Man of Iron." he replied in a quiet tone.

"He had tried using that septar on me…but it wouldn't work." Tony explained, as he tapped the arc reactor on his chest. "Then I, of course, had to make a slight quip about _performance issues, _and that earned me a rather brutal chokehold." Tony took a hand and gently rubbed the area where Loki grabbed him. "I must say, he has quite a death grip."

Thor looked at Tony questioningly. "Per..formance issues?"

Tony just shook his head and waved it off. "Never mind…just another Midgardian reference."

Thor nodded and then proceeded to walk over closer to where he could look out on the torn city through the broken window. Sounds of all sorts sounded off as he could see people scattering in all directions, looking for answers, looking for some reason as to why this happened to them. Thor wished he could answer them, but even he didn't know. Loki sending the Destroyer to kill him and his friends was one thing, but this was an even bigger crime. Thor knew Loki could not escape justice once he returned him to Asgard. Though he knew Loki needed to atone for what he did here on Earth, his heart felt terrified for what they may do and just how it would change him. Would it change him for the better? Or for the worse?

"I suppose this is where I'm supposed to tell you it's not your fault." Tony said as he came to stand by Thor again.

Thor didn't look at him this time. He just looked up at the stars, watching them blink and even saw one shoot. He knew it wasn't his fault, but why did he feel so damn guilty anyway?

"Because it's not, you know." Tony went on, taking a sip of the golden liquid he seemed to love so much. "You just remember, you helped to stop this."

"Do you think my brother can be saved?" Thor asked rather suddenly, surprising even himself. The words came out before he could think about them being said aloud. Midgardians would say that this was a common practice of "thinking out loud".

"What?" Tony asked, he too taken aback by Thor's sudden inquiry.

Thor let out a sigh and turned until he was face to face with the Man of Iron. Looking Tony straight in his eyes, he asked again.

"Can Loki be saved?"

Tony just looked at Thor for a minute, trying to assess the question. Finally he looked down at his glass of ice and lightly swished them around. "Do you mean, can he be redeemed?"

"Yes. In your opinion, Man of Iron, do you think my brother is capable of change?" Thor wasn't sure why he was asking Tony Stark of all people a question like this, but something in him had to hear from an outside source, even if it means something he didn't want to hear. After all, Tony did talk to Loki, even when it ended with Tony being flung out of the window like a rag doll.

Tony looked up at Thor, and returning the gesture of eye contact, gave a short, but clear answer. "No."

Thor just sighed and nodded, knowing full well Tony was giving him an honest answer.

"But I'm willing to bet you really don't care about what _I_ think, do you?"

Thor looked confused. "I would not have asked you if-"

"No, see, what _you _care about is what _you_ think." Tony interrupted. "I can stand here and tell you from loads of experience that those like your brother, the ones _we _trusted with everything, that have thrown that back in our faces and the proceeded to stop at nothing to try and exterminate us will never change. The evil that rots in him, is an evil that's not so easy to destroy. Once it's consumed them, there's almost never going back."

Thor was silent, and Tony stopped long enough to go pour himself another drink. "You told us back on the ship that he was adopted."

Thor was quiet for a minute, then replied, "Yes, he was. My father told me the truth when I returned to Asgard and Loki was gone. I always had my suspicions growing up, but never asked about it. I guess it never mattered too much to me."

Tony took a drink. "But it did to Loki."

Thor sighed and hung his head. "I just wish he would realize he is still my brother, and that being a Frost Giant doesn't change that. I love him, and I-" Thor took a moment to look at Tony, who just stood in front of his mini-bar, looking intently at him. Thor just let out a soft growl and turned away from him. He could feel another set of tears coming and he would be damned if the Man of Iron would see him that way. It was bad enough he broke down in front of Steve, Natasha, and Bruce, well, the Hulk.

"You ok, Point Break?" Tony asked as he walked closer to the Thunder God, but Thor just turned away again.

"I am fine. Please just stay where you are." Thor warned in an uneven, but choked up tone.

"Thor, there's nothing wrong with what you're feeling." Tony pressed.

"Yes there is!" Thor yelled, this time loud enough for the whole room to shake.

Tony just stayed silent this time, watching Thor pacing the room back and forth, tears flowing down his face.

"This is all my fault. I should have never defied my father, should have never gotten myself banished, I should have known what was happening to Loki!" The sound of Thor's voice had Tony a bit nervous for what was left of his poor tower.

"Thor, listen to me, there was not-" Tony started.

"There was everything I could have done! My brother was in peril and I should have seen this coming! I should have been there when he learned the truth about what he really was, not here!"

"And what? Do you honestly think you could have stopped him?" Tony asked.

"I could have _saved_ him!" Thor cried, and finally he collapsed onto the sofa and began to cry again. His thoughts went back to when Loki had been hanging, trying desperately to hang on to the staff that separated him and Thor. The BiFrost bridge had been destroyed, foiling Loki's plan to destroy Jotenheim. He can remember the look of desperation on Loki's face when their father appeared, to hear his brother pleading with Odin one last time for his approval. When Odin simply said, "No Loki.", Thor could see any will to live leave Loki in that instant. Then he let go, and Thor's world fell apart. That's where it all ended.

Tony slowly walked over to where Thor had been sitting, unsure what to do or say. He knew all too well the pain of betrayal, especially when it involved people you considered family. He will never forget how much it crushed him when Obadiah had shamelessly confessed that it was him that ordered him taken and killed in Afghanistan. It had honestly felt like a knife to his heart. Obadiah Stane was a part of his family since he could remember. He had worked side by side with his father so Tony naturally trusted him also. Come to think of it, Tony realized at that moment that he was basically the only one who truly knew what Thor was going through. Only difference was, Obadiah was dead, but Loki was still alive and Thor would have to watch him punished, a real treat for those who hated him, but to Thor, it would be heartbreaking. Tony's heart went out to the God.

Once Thor collected himself, he sheepishly looked up at Tony. "You must think me weak for this."

"No I don't." Tony replied, and Thor looked up at him again.

"Let me tell you a story." Tony then sat down next to Thor and told him the story of Obadiah Stane and his plot to kill him and take over his company. He told him about what had happened to him in that cave, the arc reactor, Yinsen, the man who saved his life and helped him build the first Iron Man suit, and then his battle with the man he had once considered a second father. Thor listened silently, digesting every word of what Tony was saying.

"…so when I told you 'no' about Loki's chances of redemption, I was being 100% honest with you." Tony finished.

Thor only nodded.

"But I also know you well enough by now that you have no intention of giving up on Loki." Tony stated, earning him a glare from Thor.

Thor opened his mouth to give a fast reply, but only learned he had nothing to say to that. Tony got his answer.

It was silent between them for several seconds before Thor conceded, "I'm afraid I cannot."

"I understand." Tony replied as he patted Thor on the back. Thor only looked at the smaller mortal. Where they were now was a far cry to where they were just mere hours earlier. That thought had caused Thor to swell with pride, and also knowing that he was now part of a team of really awesome people. As flawed as each of them were, they now knew that together, they could face anything. He appreciated all of them.

"So what are you going to do once get Loki back to Asgard?" Tony asked, pouring himself another glass of scotch.

"I will take him before father and he will decide his punishment." Thor gravely replied. He then let out a long, shaky breath and Tony knew it was weighing the heaviest on Thor's mind.

"Will they kill him?" Tony didn't know why he was asking these questions, especially now that they had the tesseract and Loki would no longer be their problem come the next day.

Thor shook his head. "Loki is guilty of many things, but I do not think that father will have the heart to kill his own son. He will seek a punishment that is suited best according to the laws." Tony didn't reply, but he knew Thor was merely trying to convince himself more than he, but Tony knew that whatever came to Loki, Thor would be there with him through it. If there was one thing Tony could bet on, it was that no matter how much Loki refused Thor, Thor would still be there, holding on to the hope that the brother he once knew would come back to him.

"Well, I better go get some sleep while I still can." Tony said as he took a final swallow from his glass. He set it down and looked at Thor. "Will you be ok?"

Thor nodded. "Yes. I will go out and see if the Soldier and the others need my help. I owe it to them."

Tony smiled. "Don't worry about Loki. I have him on heavy surveillance. If anything goes wrong, Jarvis will notify me immediately and I will have my suit on hand." Tony then added more softly, "and don't worry, I promise nothing will happen to him until he leaves. I won't let anyone near him, ok?"

Thor looked up at Tony and smiled. He got up and stuck out his hand. Tony took it and the two shook on their newfound friendship. "Thank you, Man of Iron."

"Tony. And anytime."


End file.
